1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a component for an interior of a vehicle. More particularly, the invention relates to a soft-feel component for an instrument panel having two colors adjacent to each other in the skin covering.
2. Related Technology
Vehicle interiors, such as instrument panels, usually include a component having a soft-touch feel. For example, the soft-feel component typically includes a generally rigid substrate or carrier layer over which is a foam layer and a soft-feel skin layer. Occasionally, for aesthetic purposes, it is desirable for the component to have a bi-colored appearance. More specifically, it is desirable for the portion of the soft-feel skin that is exposed to the vehicle occupants, which is commonly known as the show surface, to have two or more differently-colored sections. Additionally, or alternatively, it may be desirable for the soft-feel skin layer to have two or more sections with different textures or patterns so that the component has a bi-textured feel.
One currently-known design for a bi-colored component is a soft-feel skin having a first area that is painted a first color and a second area that is painted a second color. In an alternative design, the soft-feel skin only includes a first painted area and the remaining portion of the skin remains its natural color. Both of these designs, however, may have an undesirably irregular or non-continuous border between the respective skin areas. The painted design may also require the skin to be pre-treated, thereby increasing the complexity and cost of producing the component. Moreover, painted areas of the soft-feel skin may be more prone than non-painted areas to premature color fading and/or paint chipping or cracking. Furthermore, it may not be possible to produce a component having a bi-textured skin through painting alone.
Another currently-known design for a bi-colored component includes a soft-feel skin manufactured through a powder slush process. More specifically, a mold conforming to the shape of the soft-feel skin is provided and a portion of the mold inner surface is coated with a powder having a first color. The mold is then heated sinter the first color. Next, the remaining portion of the mold inner surface is coated with a powder having a second color. The mold is again heated, sintering the second powder/color and bond it to the first. The skin is then removed from the mold for foaming and further manufacturing. However, as with painting the soft-feel skin, the powder slush method may require the time-consuming and/or costly steps to ensure accurate delivery of the powder coating to the mold surface. Moreover, the border between the respective powder sections may be irregular or non-continuous, although the irregularities may be masked or partially-hidden by forming a groove in the skin at the transition.
Yet another known bi-colored construction is to separately form a pair of soft-feel skin components and then assemble the two, prior to foaming, by gluing or a tape deposit at the seam. However, this design may have an aesthetically undesirable non-soft transition, raised ridge or depressed indentation along the transition of the respective skin components. Additionally, the component may be susceptible to foam leakage between the skin components. Moreover, design modifications and additional components intended to reduce or alleviate the above-mentioned aesthetic irregularities and sealing weaknesses may reduce the soft-touch feel of the component.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to provide a component for an interior of a vehicle having two skin components engaged with each other such as to substantially prevent foam from leaking therebetween without substantially diminishing the soft-touch feel of the component.